How to avoid incontinence in later life

Incontinence is not an inevitable part of ‘getting old’ and it is not something that necessarily ‘comes to us all’ and neither is it something that we should ‘put up with’

What is incontinence?

Incontinence means that there is an involuntary leakage of urine or faeces, or both. There are thought to be around three to six million people in the UK suffering from incontinence, although for many, it remains a hidden and ‘embarrassing problem’.

Do you have a problem with incontinence?

It can be hard to decide what is a normal functioning bladder and bowel, especially as you age. Everyone has different habits and routines, often unique to them. If you notice that your normal routine has changed, seek advice.

As a general guide:

• You should pee about four to six times a day and maybe once, if at all, during the night
• Your pee should be pale yellow or clear; if it is dark yellow or brown, you need to drink more
• You should pass stools or poop anything from three times a day to three times a week (everyone is different)
• Bowel motions should be soft and easy to pass
• You shouldn’t have any accidental leaks of wee or poop

Incontinence means that you are unable to get to the loo in time, you pee a lot every day without passing a lot of urine each time you visit the loo, you find it difficult to start peeing, or it stops and starts. You may also wet the bed or suffer from chronic constipation. Anything that makes holding or passing urine or bowel motions harder is a sign that you need some help and advice.

How to avoid incontinence

In many ways, good bladder and bowel health starts with good habits and routines, just like other aspects of looking after our health.

1. Drink plenty of fluids

Dehydration can be a major cause of bladder irritation and constipation too. As we age, we may not always be keen on drinking volumes of water, for example, as we think it’ll mean we will spend more time visiting the loo.

General advice is to drink up to 2 litres of water a day, increasing this in hot weather or after exercising heavily. Take small sips and spread drinks evenly throughout the day. Don’t forget, if your urine is dark in colour, it means you must drink more water.

2. Opt for a high-fibre diet

Eating well will help to keep your bowels healthy and regular too. Dietary fibre is not digested but adds bulk to your stools. This is important as it keeps the bowel moving. A poor diet can lead to constipation thus making mall dietary changes can help in the long term:

• Eat plenty of wholegrain cereals such as porridge, brown ice, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal bread and so on, ditching highly process or refined foods
• Eat at least two pieces or fruit a day and at least five servings of vegetables per day
• You should aim for about 30 to 60grams of fibre every day
• And remember, increasing your intake of water will also help to avoid constipation

3. Get exercising

Physical activity is known to keep mind and body healthy. Certainly, when it comes to prevent incontinence, physical activity plays it part. Exercise helps to maintain a healthy body weight, reducing the pressure on your pelvic floor muscles:

• You don’t need to join a gym – a brisk, half hour walk every day is great for your health
• Pick something that is fun and that you enjoy – exercise is not always a favourite activity, more so if it starts to feel like a chore. Choose a physical activity that is fun!
• Keep your pelvic floor muscles toned – clench and release exercises are simple to perform, free and you can do them at any time without anybody realising.

4. Good toilet habits

• Go to the loo when you need to urinate – by trying to go when you don’t need to, you are signalling to your bladder is needs to urinate more often.
• Take your time – pushing your urine out is doing you no favours; take your time and let the urine flow at its own pace.
• Go when you need to go – if you need to poop, then go to the loo. Hanging on can cause constipation. Again, give yourself time.
• Laxatives are a short term solution only – if you are coming to rely on laxatives too often, you need to seek medical advice.

HARTMANN Direct supplies a range of high quality incontinence products for both urinary and faecal incontinence. Recognising the need for quality products that prevent leakage and absorb odours, HARTMANN Direct supplies private and commercial customers.